Extract from Hansard [ASSEMBLY — Wednesday, 21 May 2014] p279b-283a Chairman; Mr David Templeman; Mr Tony Simpson; Ms Margaret Quirk; Dr Graham Jacobs; Mrs Glenys Godfrey; Mr Peter Abetz Metropolitan Cemeteries Board — Ms J.M. Freeman, Chairman. Mr A.J. Simpson, Minister for Local Government. Mr P. Deague, Chief Executive Officer. Mr G. Bayne, Chief Finance Officer. The CHAIRMAN: This estimates committee will be reported by Hansard staff. The daily proof Hansard will be published at 9.00 am tomorrow. Members may raise questions about matters relating to the operations and budget of the off-budget authority. Off-budget authority officers are recognised as ministerial advisers. It is the intention of the Chair to ensure that as many questions as possible are asked and answered and that both questions and answers are short and to the point. The minister may agree to provide supplementary information to the committee, rather than asking that the question be put on notice for the next sitting week. I ask the minister to clearly indicate what supplementary information he agrees to provide and I will then allocate a reference number. If supplementary information is to be provided, I seek the minister’s cooperation in ensuring that it is delivered to the committee clerk by Friday, 30 May 2014. I caution members that if a minister asks that a matter be put on notice, it is up to the member to lodge the question on notice with the Clerk’s office. I now ask the minister to introduce his advisers to the committee. [Witnesses introduced.] The CHAIRMAN: Member for Mandurah. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN: Madam Chairman, are we dealing with the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board first? The CHAIRMAN: I think that is the agreement. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN: I propose that we spend only 20 minutes on it. The CHAIRMAN: It is all in the one division, however the committee proceeds. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN: Minister, I refer to page 658 and the cemetery renewal program, which has a total cost of $10 million in the forward estimates. Part of the progress of the renewal program is the renewal of new grave areas and, under the act, there are certain requirements for what happens to those graves. There has been criticism in the past that some of those graves have not been restored in accordance with the terms of the act. Could the Minister for Local Government briefly outline the progress of the renewal program in that context? Mr A.J. SIMPSON: I thank the member for Mandurah for the question. The program of renewal has been around for a number of years. Like the member for Mandurah, last year in the estimates committees I learned a little more about the cemetery process. It is quite an amazing industry as is the process that cemeteries go through. The renewal programs are very interesting and, as the member for Mandurah would know, there are concerns about headstones and so forth during that renewal process. Peter Deague may be able to add some information about the $10 million in the forward estimates, the program and how that is unfolding. Mr P. Deague: In the progress of cemetery renewal at Karrakatta, each section is reviewed based on certain criteria—historic value and whether it is a war grave or an official war grave. That process defines what graves will be retained. Obviously, graves in grant are retained in burial sections as well. The program works with the community on the basis that the act defines clearly that there has to be a 12-month advertising period to allow the community to respond to the renewal program. After that 12-month period, the renewal program is reassessed. The matter goes back to the board of the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board and is then referred to the minister for his decision. All up, the process of approval probably takes about 18 months. In that process, if during the construction phase the MCB gets information from the community about concerns about monumental work and retention, most often, if not all times, those graves are retained. Over the years, the MCB has had a lot of interest in official war graves, including those from the time of the Boer War, the First World War and Second World War and even a few graves of Vietnam veterans as well. The board is going through a process with the community and also Honouring Indigenous War Graves Inc in conjunction with the Office of Australian War Graves in Canberra. The MCB has a memorandum of agreement with the commonwealth on the retention of official war graves at no cost to the community, which recognises the service that they have provided to Australians. Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN: As part of the renewal program there was a commitment to, I understand, similar to what is done in the commonwealth war graves area, a book of remembrance. Is it true that the board has [1] Extract from Hansard [ASSEMBLY — Wednesday, 21 May 2014] p279b-283a Chairman; Mr David Templeman; Mr Tony Simpson; Ms Margaret Quirk; Dr Graham Jacobs; Mrs Glenys Godfrey; Mr Peter Abetz committed to providing a book of remembrance available to loved ones, visitors et cetera, that identifies those graves that have been removed as part of the renewal program? If so, where is that book on display at Karrakatta or at any other relevant cemetery? Mr P. Deague: A book of remembrance originally was a book, and it was retained in the office. If there were any questions from the community, they could visit the office. Over the last few years we have revised that and mirrored what the Commonwealth War Graves Commission does, which is to have a pillar box with the details of the burial section, or in the case of a war cemetery, the battle, and also the people buried in the burial section itself. The MCB has mirrored that and is rolling out that program over the next few years on all the renewal sections going back to 1998. Ms M.M. QUIRK: I understand that Karrakatta and Fremantle Cemeteries are on the state heritage list. What is the impact of that on the renewal program? What obligation is there for consultation with the Heritage Council of Western Australia? Mr A.J. SIMPSON: I will get Mr Deague to add to my answer, but I will clarify a couple of points. The member for Girrawheen is right that a lot of gravesites are of national or historical significance to the state, in terms of pioneers and people who have achieved a lot in the state, and they become part of our national treasures and part of the heritage process, especially given that some parts of Fremantle Cemetery were built at the turn of the century and there are icons in it. I will pass over to Peter to clarify the heritage within Karrakatta and Fremantle Cemeteries. [7.10 pm] Mr P. Deague: We work with the Heritage Council of Western Australia and the National Trust of Australia. We have a memorandum of understanding with the Heritage Council of Western Australia concerning the renewal program. The actual monuments are not owned by the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board but by the families, so we liaise closely with the families about what is of historical value. That is important with a renewal program, because some families feel that they can modify a historic monument based on a further burial in a grave, so we work closely with families to help them understand the historical value. At Karrakatta Cemetery we have a historic section, on which there are quite a lot of constraints on re-use, and that works well for the community. Recently, through the Minister for Local Government, we set up heritage trails that have been very successful with the community. Ms M.M. QUIRK: Can the minister explain to me the pecking order for a gravesite that is considered a war grave and worthy of national listing and how that interacts with any state heritage considerations? Mr A.J. SIMPSON: Just to clarify, is that in terms of the renewal process or just the sites themselves? The renewal process is advertised before going to that process. Every opportunity is taken to try to contact the owners of the sites before going through with the renewal program. I do not know whether Mr Deague can add any more to that. Mr P. Deague: We work with other associations, for instance the Lord Forrest monument and a lot of other historic monuments, and we have been involved in refurbishing monuments as well in the past. Ms M.M. QUIRK: I did not make that clear. If something is recognised by the Office of Australian War Graves, what status does it have for what can and cannot be done to that particular grave? Mr P. Deague: We are the only state that has set up a memorandum of understanding with the commonwealth on retaining war graves. Other states expect the commonwealth to issue grants and, if not, the monuments could effectively be removed. The Metropolitan Cemeteries Board, through the minister, agreed that these official war graves should be retained in perpetuity. Dr G.G. JACOBS: I refer to page 658 of budget paper No 2, and note the line item “Whitby Falls Cemetery Development”, which has an estimated cost of $4.3 million. There is not a lot of expenditure planned this year— just a little—and then nothing at all for the next year. When is it planned that this cemetery will be operational? I also notice the line item “Whiteman Park Development”.